Single use, disposable douche apparatus



y 9, 1959 J. A. BARRINGTON 2,887,109

SINGLE USE, DISPOSABLE DOUCHE APPARATUS Filed June 4, 1956 INVENIOYR. JamesflB rrmgion ll/s/ns N'r.

United States Patent 2,887,109 SINGLE USE, DISPOSABLE DOUCHE APPARATUS James A. Barrington, Wichita Falls, Tex., assignor to Wayland D. Keith, Wichita Falls, Tex.

Application June 4, 1956, Serial No. 589,278

4 Claims. (Cl. 128-227) associated parts can be rolled, folded or deformed, so as to occupy a very small package, about V2 thick and 2" x 3" for the other dimensions. This package may be readily dispensed from a coin operated vending machine, or counter sales cards, or by other forms of merchandizing.

The present device provides, in a small, compact, package, a disposable douche apparatus, with a measured quantity of medicament or antiseptic supplied therein as part and parcel of the apparatus. This medicament or antiseptic is provided within a mixing chamber and is water soluble, so it may be thoroughly mixed with water before it is passed into the main reservoir to be dispensed therefrom.

As stated above, the packaged apparatus is very small, and may be readily carried in a hand bag, and may be readily and unobtrusively disposed ofafter a single use.

An object of this invention is to provide a packaged syringe or douche apparatus which is low in cost, and wherein a water soluble medicament or antiseptic is contained therein and may be readily dispensed therefrom, without the necessity of accessory equipment.

Another object of the invention is to provide a syringe or douche apparatus that is made of such material, and is of such bulk and weight as to be readily folded and formed into a small container capable of being carried in a hand bag or the like, but the reservoir of which is of conventional size when filled, and the applicator tip is also of conventional size when in operating position.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a douche apparatus which has a mixing chamber integral therewith, wherein a medicament or an antiseptic can be initially dissolved in water before thesolution passes into the main reservoir.

A yet further object of the invention is to provide a douche apparatus which has a medicament mixing chamber, having perforations in the upper portion thereof, positioned within the main reservoir in such manner that, when water is introduced into the mixing chamber, the mixing action will take place therein, before the solution flows into the main reservoir.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a douche apparatus, the mixing chamber of which may be pierced, after the medicament is in solution, so said chamber will be in communication with said main reservoir.

Another object of the invention is to provide, for fem inine hygiene, a douche apparatus containing its own antiseptic and which may be marketed in a sealed, sterile package.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a douche apparatus, the perforate tip of which is so formed that the edges surrounding the perforations are indented and rounded, so that no irritation of the body tissues will result from the use thereof.

A further object of this invention is to provide a syringe or irrigation apparatus which is inexpensive to produce, easy to dispense and to dispose of, may be carried in a small space, and which is particularly adapted for use while traveling or the like, when other types of such equipment is not available.

With these objects in mind, and others which will become manifest as the description proceeds, reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings in which like reference characters designate like parts in the several views thereof, in which:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view of a douche apparatus with portions thereof broken away to show the details of construction;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows, and with parts broken away and shown in elevation to illustrate the details of construction;

, Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a carton, shown in dash outline, and in which carton or container, the various elements of the douche apparatus are folded and collapsed so as to occupy a minimum of space;

Fig. 4 is a greatly enlarged, fragmentary, sectional view taken on the line 44 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged elevational view of the lower portion of the douche apparatus and the tubing of plastic material which is connected thereto, and showing the water shut-off valve, and the douche tip, with parts being broken away and shortened, and shown in section to show the details of construction; and

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a combination piercing element, mixing member and support hook, which is preferably made of formable metal, which may be deformed for packaging, as indicated in dash outline or formed into a support hook, as shown in Fig. 2.

With more detailed reference to the drawing, the numeral 1 designates the reservoir of a douche apparatus, which reservoir is preferably made of a thin, pliable plastic material, and is of the general shape and size as the conventional apparatus of this character. It is preferable to have the open upper portion thereof reinforced to form a rim 2, which may be a bead of the same material, and which may have a wire 4 therein. A portion of the rim is formed into a loop 6, by which the reservoir or container may be suspended.

By having the upper portion of the reservoir reinforced, it is possible to use a thinner material for the major portion of the apparatus, thereby requiring less space for the packaged article. If preferred, the reinforcement may be formed by coating a portion of the top of the container with a solvent and rolling it, which may be done about a wire, and will give an effect similar to a head.

The reservoir 1 preferably tapers into a neck portion 8, which neck portion 8 is adapted to receive a short tube 10 therein, which tube is preferably of plastic and may be cemented in the lower extremity of the neck 8 and into the end of tube 12. The tube 12 is also made of tubular plastic material, such as Pliofilrn, cellophane, Vinylite, nylon or the like, having a wall gauge of .002" to .004, so that it will require very little space when folded.

A close-01f valve is provided within the tube 12, and is designated generally at 14. This valve 14 may be of conventional form which has necks 16 which may be cemented within the tubing 12, if desired. This valve 14 may be located at any desired position within the length of the tubing 12, and is preferably made of plastic with deformable wires 18 therein, so, when deformed, as

Q is;

shown in Fig. l, the flow of solution therethrough can be cut off, but when again straightened, the flow therethrough will be continued.

A. tubular tip,. whichv is shown. as a. douche tip, but other typesv of tips may be used as desired, i's designated at 29, andhas alneckrportion 22 for attachment to tubing 12, as will best be seen in Fig. 5. The neck portion22 may he cemented into thetubinglZ if so desired. The tubular tip 20 has perforations formed therein near the lower end thereof. These perforations have the material therearound, rounded to prevent irritation of the body tissues which comein contact therewith. This tubular tip 20 is closed at the lower end thereof, and is made of thin, deformable plastic material, as shown in Figs. 2'. and 3, but when unfolded and released, will readily return to a suitable shape, for use,,as shown in Figs. 1' and A mixing chamber zen. cemented around the upper edge of the main bag 1', as indicated. at 28, so the main bag and the mixing chamber or sack have a common top opening, with the mixing chamber or sack being positioned Within the upper portion of'the bagl, and has comparatively large perforations formed therein near the top thereof. A water soluble medicinal agent or antiseptic 32 is provided'in measured quantity, in the lower portion of sack 26, when the packaged unit is made up.

When the apparatus is removed from the package and unfolded, a small amount of'water may be supplied to the sack 2'6 and the medicinalagent or antiseptic therein allowed to dissolve. The bag 1 may then be held under an ordinary Water tap, and water, preferably warm or tepid, allowed to flow into the sack 26.and-to rise therein to flow out through perforations 3d the-rein into the main bag 1, thereby eliminating the possibility of irritating or harmful concentrations of the medicinal agent or antiseptic coming in contact with the body tissues. After, all the dry material in the sack 26'has gone into solution, the bottom of the sack 26.may be pierced, by means of a piercing element 34, which is provided" for that purpose. In this way, all the solution passes into the bag 1'.

The element 34 may bev used to pierce the sack 26'as described above, or it may be used to stir or mix the dry material and water in the sack 6 to expedite the. forming of the solution. This member 34, which is sharpened at one end may also be used as a support hook, as it may be slipped between a molding and a wall, or other suitable place: so as to support the apparatus for use. The end opposite the sharp end 38, of the member 34, may be so formed as to keep the loop from slippingtherefrom, when the apparatusis suspended'therefrom.

While the invention: has been described and illustrated in some particularity, for use as'a douche bag for feminine hygiene, it is to be understood that the inventor does not wish to be confined to any particular use, since, by the use of a suitable tip, the apparatus may be used for cleansing, treating, orv irrigating any body cavity.

Furthermore, the device has been described in detail as being made of thin, pliable plastic material, but any material may be used which will carry out the intent and purposeof the invention.

Having thus clearly shown and described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In a therapeutic, irrigation apparatus, a thin pliable bag having a fill opening at the top thereof and an outlet opening therein at the bottom thereof, means for supporting said bag, a thin; pliable sack, said sack having an opening of substantially the same size as the fill opening of said-pliablebag, the openi ng of said pliable bag being completely closedraroundrthe. periphery thereof in fluid tight relation-by. thexupper: end.of= said pliable sack, said sack having at least one perforation formed therein near the upper end thereof, whichopening is in-common communication with thesreseztvoirformed by the sack and the reservoir formed by the bag.

2. A douche apparatus comprising a thin, pliable, plastic bag having a fill opening at the top thereof and an outlet-opening in thebottomthereohav plastic sack formingamixing chamber formedwithin said bag,.the. peripheral edge of the opening of said plasticbagand the peripherialedge of the-opening of said plasticsack being joined in fluid tight relation, the wall. of saidmixing. sack having a plurality of holes formed therein near the upper end thereof, and means on said bag for supporting same.

3. A, singlev use, disposablev douche bag comprising a thin, membranous, plastic film reservoir having an. inlet openingand an outlet opening. formed therein, asupport means. onsaid plastic filmreservoina thin, membranous plastic. saclcforming a mixing chamber, which sack has anopeningin/the top thereof, said sack beingfitted within said reservoir so said Opening therein and said inletopeningof said reservoir will be common, means for joining the peripheral edge of. said. sack to the. peripherial edge of said. inlet. opening: of said bag, said sack having. perforations formed therein in the upper portion thereof, a pliable tube attached to said outlet opening of said bag in fluid tight relation, a membranous tube of extreme thinness-fixed to said first mentioned tube, a soft, deformable, perforate tip secured to said second mentioned tube, which tip will assume normal size and shape when not deformed.

4. In an applicator tip. for syringes and the like, a plastic tube having a closed, rounded end, the opposite end of said plastic tube being open, said tube. having a plurality of radially formed holes therein near the closed end thereof, a portion of said tube surrounding the respective holes being rounded, and said tube being formed of a flexible plastic material so it may bereadily folded throught degreesand. which will resiliently assume its normal position whenrestraining; pressureis released.

References .Cited in'thefile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 356,544 Parker Jan. 25, 1887 1,546,016 Eisele July 14, 1925 2,087,780 Powell July 20, 1937 2,619,086, Wylde Nov. 25, 1952 2,625,264 Edwards Jan. 13, 19 53 

